Grey Skies and Silver Linings
by DarlingVioletta777
Summary: Logan and Veronica try to deal during the summer, after the events of 2x22.


**Title**: Grey Clouds and Silver Linings

**Author**: fickledame

**Rating**: PG

**Word Count**: 1566

**Summary**: So, I've followed the crowd _again_ and written a post 22 fic. Logan and Veronica try to deal during the summer, after the events of 2x22. But hell, there are never enough fics, are there?

**Spoilers**: All aired episodes.

**Thanks**: Big thanks to **skk670** for the quick and fabulous beta!

* * *

Logan's phone rang later that night and the mere thought of speaking to her brought a smile to his lips.

He teasingly asked her how shiny the Apple was, and Veronica told him she hadn't made it there. Keith had never turned up, and by the time she had gone outside to get a signal on her phone, it was too late to check in for the flight. She relayed the message Keith had left, saying that he was really, really sorry but he had to go away for a few days and he'd make it up to her when he got home. He told her to go ahead to New York, and have fun.

Logan silently cursed her father and for whatever the reason that made him let his daughter down – because it wasn't good enough. He picked up some movies and junk food and headed to her apartment to surprise her.

It was three days later when Logan visited her at Mars Investigations. He was earlier than he said he'd be, but he couldn't help but crave the feel of her lips against his, the scent of her hair and the feel of her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, a sweet familiarity that had been denied to him for so long.

* * *

Veronica was kneeling on the floor, scrubbing frantically underneath the desk.

"Spring clean?" he joked.

She didn't laugh. He peered under the desk.

"It's clean, Veronica," he said quietly.

"No, it isn't."

He knelt beside her and gently took the brush from her hand. She tried to snatch it back.

"It's _disgusting_," she said, in a tone he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"It's perfect," he insisted, as he brushed away her damp bangs with one hand and threw the brush across the room with the other. As she moved angrily to get it back, he pulled her in to his arms.

She shuddered as she pressed her mouth against his shoulder in a silent scream.

* * *

The day of Aaron's funeral he debated the merits of getting drunk. He ran his fingers across the top of each bottle as he gazed at the labels.

His decision was made in a split second when he grabbed the whiskey and hurled it across the room. He listened in satisfaction to the loud crack it made when it hit the wall, the glass spraying out and the liquid splattering across the paintwork.

He heard a knock at the door and was about to call out when the door opened, and Veronica appeared, her eyes wide and the key card she'd never given back in her hand.

"Are you okay?" she asked, glancing around the room as if she was waiting for the threat to appear.

He nodded, and let out a little laugh. He knew sounded slightly maniacal and she glanced at the bottle shards on the floor. Her posture relaxed as she realised he'd caused the noise.

"I need to new place to live," he told her, making sure his voice remained steady.

"That would be good," she replied. She knelt down and began to pick up the glass carefully.

"Don't," he called, "you might get cut." He crossed the room and crouched by her side.

"I'm not a child, Logan," she said petulantly.

"I know." He reached out and brushed away a stray lock of hair that covered her eye.

* * *

Logan laughed as they tripped and landed on a heap on her bedroom floor. Veronica groaned and hit his chest, before capturing his lips with hers again, her hand covering his cheek.

His lips moved down slowly, until his teeth gently latched around her pulse point, and she gasped. He smirked; an old trick with her, but it worked every time.

"Logan," she groaned. "Wallace -"

Her voice broke off as he increased the pressure, her fingers now digging into his sides.

He pulled away and teased, "Are you suggesting a three-way, Veronica Mars? I'm shocked – and a little turned on."

"Wallace will be here any second," she finished, trying to sound firm but then gave up with a shrug as they pressed their lips together again, conscious thought leaving them as the heady recklessness took over.

She pleaded with him to go with her to the grave. He point blank refused for hours, as she wouldn't tell him _why _she wanted to go.

"I just need to, okay?" she finally said.

And what could he say to that?

He found it harder and harder every day to equate the shy younger brother of Dick, whom he sat playing Halo and GTA for hours on end, with the boy that stood with a gun in his hand and committed cold-blooded murder.

He couldn't even imagine what had gone on between Veronica and Cassidy on the roof before he got there, and most of the time, he didn't want to.

* * *

Logan finally decided on a large "surfer dude" pad, as Veronica called it. He'd moved in that day – money talked – and she helped him unpack. All he had was a box full of clothes, and a few school books which he took great pleasure in shredding in the garbage disposal.

"I have a house warming gift for you," Veronica said as she handed him a wrapped square shaped present.

He looked surprised, before he unwrapped it quickly. His jaw slackened when he saw the photo in the frame; his mother with her arms wrapped around a younger version of himself. They were both dressed up, probably having been at some party or red carpet event.

"I know all your pictures must have been destroyed in the fire, so I tracked this one down…" Her fingers hooked into the pockets of her pants as she looked down.

"Thank you," he whispered, placing it in the centre of the mantelpiece. He turned and brushed his lips over hers. "Thank you."

* * *

He felt her chest moving evenly as she lay on top of him, her head tucked into the crook of his neck. He enjoyed the peaceful expression on her face, the haunted look that lurked in her eyes temporarily hidden as she slept.

He felt her heart begin to beat faster before her face twisted into a frown. She suddenly jumped awake with a terrified, "No!"

"Hey, it's okay," he soothed, rubbing his hand over her back as she regained control of her breathing.

A minute later she was impulsively kissing him, her fingers working on his shirt buttons. He joined in just as enthusiastically, until her breath hitched with something he couldn't say was lust.

"Stop," he said quietly, his fingers closing over hers.

She went rigid for a second, before she said in just as soft tone as his words, "I don't have it anymore."

"Have what?" he asked in confusion.

"_It," _she repeated, before adding, "The STD."

His forehead creased as he gaped at her, until he found his voice. "I know, you said in court."

She pressed her lips together as she paused, waiting for him to continue. When she realised he wasn't going to, she pushed herself up with her hands either side of him, into a sitting position.

"I got it from…that night with…" she broke off and took a deep breath. "At Shelly's party," she finished in a whisper, her voice low and raw.

"Veronica…" he began.

"Is it me?" she asked brokenly, looking so vulnerable he wanted to cry. "Does it make a difference?"

"No, no!" he protested. "I don't think… it would be right."

"You're turning down sex?" she asked in disbelief. "Because it isn't _right_?"

"You know what I mean. I want the first time to be perfect."

She laughed bitterly as he gathered her in his arms.

* * *

They met at the beach often. Sometimes Logan surfed, or they all played volleyball. Wallace bought hot dogs he got discounted at the Sac n' Pac and they cooked it on a portable barbeque. Mac got a sun tan, which made the dark rings under her eyes stand out less.

Wallace was late and Logan lay on his side, running his fingers across Veronica's flat stomach as she stretched out in the sand in her two-piece bikini.

Mac and very oddly, Madison Sinclair's little sister, Lauren, who she had arrived with without an explanation, were splashing in the ocean.

He traced the word beautiful across her, feeling like a soppy idiot as he did it, but was rewarded when Veronica smiled brightly, her eyes still closed.

"Hey, all," Wallace called as he neared them. "I got you something."

Veronica sat up quickly with an excited expression. "You got me a _pony_?"

"You know Veronica, one day someone is going to buy you a pony… and you won't know what the hell to do with it," Wallace informed her with a laugh.

"Well, I'd brush him every day and name him Ares," she told him in her perky voice.

"Such a girl," Wallace teased, before revealing the fruit flavoured ice pops he had bought them with a flourish.

"This is so much better," Veronica conceded warmly, unwrapping her ice pop.

Wallace suddenly lobbed the volleyball at Logan, catching him by surprise. Logan jumped up, racing after him as Wallace headed towards the ocean in his escape. Veronica watched, laughing, really laughing, for the first time in a long time.

_fin _

Feedback makes my soul tingle.


End file.
